"We need to be quite bold and allow predators back into the landscape and see if they can reverse some of the damage we've done," says Dr Ritchie from Deakin's Centre for Integrative Ecology.

Since European settlement, humans have drastically altered the Australian environment, resulting in one of the highest rates of species loss in the world. Cats and foxes have wreaked havoc on small wildlife species, while larger natives, such as kangaroos, have multiplied.

Ritchie says the traditional approach to conservation is to manage species in isolation instead of considering the whole ecosystem.

Reintroducing predators such as dingoes and Tasmanian devils into landscapes may help protect Australia's diminishing biodiversity.

Showcase facts

Since European settlement, humans have drastically altered the Australian environment, resulting in one of the highest rates of species loss in the world. Cats and foxes have wreaked havoc on small wildlife species, while larger natives, such as kangaroos, have multiplied.